> [Red Rank Trial – 70:23:14 Remaining]
[Subject: Lian – Sovereign Class – Coin Evolution Path]
[Status: System Glitch Active | Emotion Core: Sealed]
The battlefield raged in grayscale, as if color had been stripped from reality. Every movement Lian made felt heavy, not from fatigue—but legacy. He was surrounded by ghosts of gods he'd failed to protect: giant corpses half-sunken in black mist, divine icons shattered, their relics twisted into weapons used against him.
A spear of broken prophecy stabbed the air inches from his face.
His opponent wore his brother's face.
"You still think being Sovereign means salvation?" the clone snarled, his eyes glowing with corrupted system lines. "You gambled with the world, Lian. And everyone paid for your bet."
Lian didn't respond. He couldn't. The Coin Core had sealed his emotions in exchange for overwhelming combat precision.
Instead, he moved like a storm—dodging the blade, flipping over a shard of failed fate, and calling upon his vehicle.
> [System Sync: Vehicle – Golden Obsidian Roller Unlocked (Myth Variant)]
[Effect: Devours remnants of failed worlds for combat upgrades.]
The vehicle screamed through the heavens, a demonic fusion of radiant gold and glitch-black, its tires trailing deletion code. Lian slammed into his opponent with the full force of a god-fueled acceleration.
One down.
But seven shadows still stood.
> [WARNING: Soul Fatigue Accumulating – Core Will Collapse at 55% Integrity.]
---
Meanwhile: Jayce – Carnival of the Dying Smile
Jayce's legs were trembling. He'd made them laugh with a joke about his first failure, where his Talent activated and saved only himself. The crowd—monsters stitched from regret and absurdity—howled in delight.
But with each round, the stakes grew. He'd already given up three key memories—his sister's name, his first friend, the face of the girl he loved.
Now, the ringmaster handed him a revolver.
> "Final Act: Make them laugh… by choosing who lives. The audience… or yourself."
Jayce chuckled. "That's easy."
He raised the gun and aimed it at his own heart.
"Because I trust the others to pull me back."
Bang.
---
Kuro – Swamp of the Endless Self
The time loop was unrelenting. Kuro had drowned 15 versions of himself to reach this point—each carrying different paths, different regrets. In this iteration, he faced one who chose love over power.
"You gave up everything for a rank," the version hissed. "You left your world to burn."
"I'll burn with it if I have to fix it," Kuro growled.
He shattered the mirror between them and devoured his alternate self's code, upgrading his ability:
> [Glitched Talent Fusion: Time Sunderer + Curse Recall]
[New Talent: Paradox Blade – Cut the Present to Rewrite a Lost Future]
For the first time in hours, he felt like he could win.
---
Ria – Betrayal Garden
Ria sat across from a child version of herself.
"I'll grow up to kill you," the child said flatly. "You're too strong. That's why the System will use me to replace you."
Ria looked tired. So tired. Her wings were torn. Her healing factor was frayed.
"I know," she whispered. "But that doesn't mean I won't still love you."
She didn't kill the child.
Instead, she let her live—and handed over her most powerful Talent, trusting herself to grow stronger without it.
> [System Mutation: Compassion Transfer Complete – Awakening Trait Acquired: "Unbroken Chain"]
[Effect: Prevents death once per fatal system event across all allies.]
---
Sector 0 – The Throne Awakens
Reboot sat, watching them through windows of live code. His smile faltered.
"They're passing."
Behind him, the destroyed Admins stirred. Fractured voices whispered:
> "No one was supposed to reach this point…"
Reboot's eyes darkened. "They were never just players. The System forgot what humanity does best."
A heartbeat passed.
"Adapt."
> [Sector Lock Break Detected – Core Overclock in Progress]
[WARNING: Calamity Engine Booting – 3%]
---